Wakefield Community Stadium - latest statement

​Wakefield Trinity
owners have halted the latest talks on the community stadium proposals.
Wakefield Council and the club’s owners have been in discussions to agree the
details to bring the Community Stadium proposals to fruition.

However, talks have now stalled after the Wakefield Trinity owners have
rejected previously agreed plans that they need to pay a commercial rent and
allow the community stadium to be run and managed by a charitable trust.

Wakefield Council announced last month that it would take out a lease on the
Belle Vue site to speed up the delivery of the new project - an offer which
still stands. However, the club’s owners have now rejected these plans and
instead suggested that the stadium be built at no cost to them, while retaining
sole control over its income and operations.

Andrew Wallhead

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​Andrew Wallhead,
Wakefield Council’s Corporate Director for Regeneration and Economic Growth,
said: “The fact that the club’s owners will not consider paying a fair
commercial rent alongside other tenants in a stadium owned and operated by a
charitable trust is unbelievable, especially as we understand that the Super
League deal with Sky pays them a significant sum to cover accommodation costs
including reasonable rentals.
“We have worked tirelessly to bring the option of building a brand new stadium
at Belle Vue to the table and we are ready and willing to commit our finances
so that the project could move forward quickly and deliver a new home for rugby
in the City.

“We were disappointed and surprised by the suggestion that, instead of the
agreed plan, we should now consider developing the stadium in Thornes Park at
public expense.

“It is incredible that the club’s owners expect a stadium to be delivered at no
cost to them and without having to pay a normal rent. No one could deliver a
community stadium without a contribution from the main tenant and public money
cannot be used to finance a project where the ultimate proceeds sit within a
private company.”

The club’s owners have stated that they will now proceed with ‘alternative
arrangements’ but have not shared those with the Council at the present time.

Manni Hussain, Chairman of 88m Group the owners of Belle Vue, said: “We are
without question behind the Council and will work with them to finally resolve
this issue. We want to continue to help the club to deliver a new community
stadium for the 2019/20 season.”